1Woodsman Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 I have a merigold and I also have an antenna that has a bnc connection, at least that's what I think this connector is. I was wondering if anybody has been able to connect any type of antenna to the merigold. I don't think this is too far fetched, especially since it comes as standard for the mericolour. I would like to be able to boost the sattelite reception if it's only as simple as a little soldering a connector to my unit to accept an external antenna. Thanks, Ed Quote Link to comment
peter Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 Depending on the characteristics of the antenna you have, you might be able to just get the re-radiating portion of the PC-Mobile antenna, i.e. "GARTB" at http://www.pc-mobile.net/gpsant.htm . Quote Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 Yup, you'll need the re-radiating antenna. There is no external antenna jack on the Gold. Quote Link to comment
1Woodsman Posted March 24, 2006 Author Share Posted March 24, 2006 Thanks for the replies. I was hoping that someone had just duplicated the connection that already exists in the mericolour into one of the other ,either gold or platinum models, and would be able to tell me where to put the new connector on my merigold so as to be able to connect my antenna to the new connection that I would have hopefully been able to install. I did take a peep inside and saw that the antenna looks a little delicate. I would have made some trial and error attempts at a connection if it wasn't quite so delicate and could have withstood a bit of adventurous exploring. Thanks, 1Woodsman Quote Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 The problem with this plan is it would break the waterproof integrity of the unit. If that isn't a worry and you had a spare to play with... Quote Link to comment
peter Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 Thanks for the replies. I was hoping that someone had just duplicated the connection that already exists in the mericolour into one of the other ,either gold or platinum models, and would be able to tell me where to put the new connector on my merigold so as to be able to connect my antenna to the new connection that I would have hopefully been able to install. I did take a peep inside and saw that the antenna looks a little delicate. I would have made some trial and error attempts at a connection if it wasn't quite so delicate and could have withstood a bit of adventurous exploring. Probably just as well that you didn't since it's not quite so simple. The external antennas are generally the active type that contain an integral amplifier and need to have power supplied by the GPS receiver. So receivers, like the Meridian Color, that have an external antenna jack typically provide about 2.5 VDC at the jack. They also sense when the external antenna is drawing power and switch off the normal internal antenna. Quote Link to comment
1Woodsman Posted March 24, 2006 Author Share Posted March 24, 2006 Thanks again for the very helpfull replies, especially to Peter, I was starting to get my courage up and becoming adventurous!! That little bit of valuable information has quelched that sense from welling up any further 1Woodsman Quote Link to comment
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